Handbrake turns on ice... Always end in tears

[Ferengo]

Ok, so it's a well known rule in my work, as we have a big long carpark that you can do a handbrake turn at the start providing there are no cars around. My boss did it this morning and... her car is fine. I did it too and... I didn't hit anyone or anything. My friend John came in and... hit me!!!

I was reversing into the space when I saw him coming. He usually goes in front of me at an angle, then reverses in. This time though he put his handbrake on and his back bumper hit my wheel arch. He's pushed the black plastic arch part in slightly but no scuff etc...

His car has just had the bumper replaced and now has scratches and cracks in it. The mini wins!!!

I'm gonna put it in when it due for a service in 2000 miles so he doesn't have to pay to have it looked at. Then he'll pay himself for the repairs. I have 2 witnesses in the car incase anything happens, but I know him quite well so he wouldn't refuse, not that kind of a guy. Plus it's on the CCTV.

Anyone know how easy it is to replace the plastic arch?

[Gismo]

Depends which one, may have a hidden screw, but, very easy and cheap

[Craig]

yeah as gismo says, cheap and easy to change over... never done it on an R56 but should be straight forward. Maybe a quick search on MINI2 would help :thumbs up:

[ianking]

Its dead easy. Take the wheel off and peel back the carpeted wheel arch. Im pretty sure ther are a couple of hidden screws. The arch is then held in place using plastic clips (these generally break when pulling the arch off but are only pennies to replace so order these as well.)

[C.Noble]

Dunno, never had to remove one... my drivers have found LOADS of ever more imaginitive ways of removing them, all of them involving the use of other MINIs or scenary!!! :argh::argh:

It is quite easy, but the little clips usually break cos they will be brittle so get new clips., and there is a little hidden screw at the end.

[Ferengo]

Just called Grassicks and they said £15 plus vat for the part. 30 mins to fit but they have to charge the full hour. So around £120 from the dealer.

His 306 is in a bad way though. He has it lowered and as the bumper has been hit it now rests on the back wheel!!!

Will take a closer look at lunch time and give it a run to see if all is ok for now. Does anyone think there may be more damage? It wasn't too hard but enough to crack his bumper.

[ianking]

You get the part and I will fit it for £40 for you. ;)
They must have been wearing a mask when they quoted £120.

[Ferengo]

Hi Ian. Would have taken you up on that but a friend works at a local garage and is going to do it for £35 plus vat and part, I'll get a full check done at the same time to make sure there isn't any other damage. Cheers anyway :thumbs up:.

[Craig]

You get the part and I will fit it for £40 for you. ;)
They must have been wearing a mask when they quoted £120.

look who's talking about masks...:rolleyes:

Ferengo, if I was near you, I'd do it for hee haw... :thumbs up: Gotta keep the good NMS karma going... :yes nod::yes nod:

Glad your getting it sorted tho - hope your pals car is ok. :smilewinkgrin:

[Ferengo]

I just thought it was really funny. I couldn't stop laughing all morning. I'm gonna try and get a copy of the CCTV. Priceless entertainment :laugh:. I'll let you know what the garage says when they look at it.

[Ferengo]

Ok. The dent is through to the wing. Bodyshop job me thinks.

[Sheilz]

That's a shame because have to say I'd a chuckle just reading it. His face, your face, must have been a pic.

[Crombers]

I don't fancy you car park much, way to risky :frown:

[audrey]

Handbrake turns never a good idea :hand:

[Ferengo]

Handbrake turns never a good idea :hand:

True. He has been getting the p!55 ripped out of him at work and his excess is amazingly high, so that's punishment enough. Got the Audi bodyshop guy coming over in a bit to look at how much it will cost to fix. Idiotic thing to do but it is his fault and not mine.

[Crombers]

Cetainly would'nt be doing handbrake turns in my MINI :Whistle:

[JOHN MILNE]

very easy to remove front wheel arch
it held on with one screw and eight clips
push back inner splashgaurd remove screw (between bumper and w/arch )
then just pull hard
you'll need new clips though

[Ferengo]

very easy to remove rear wheel arch
it held on with one screw and five clips
push back inner splashgaurd remove screw (between bumper and w/arch )
then just pull hard
you'll need new clips though

Cheers John but it's the front passenger side and it has hit the metal underneath and dented it also. Will be an insurance job I think.

It will teach him not to do handbrake turns in his 306 again and me not to park anywhere near him!!! He is on his second licence and he has 6 points.

[Ferengo]

Audi guy has just been (In a mini one). It needs a new wing, plastic trim, headlight and a respray. The guy who hit me was almost in tears when the Audi guy said, But that's all he can see, could mean there is more.

[Sheilz]

Seems an awful lot for what had looked like a dent on the trim. I guess none of you will be doing handbrake turns again!

[Ferengo]

Certainly not me even though I did mine no where near anything or anyone. Although what he did was a stupid thing to do, most people know not to do a handbrake turn when heading directly for another car and only a couple of meters from it!!! At least the car will get washed when it's in :p.

[Sheilz]

Well at least you can see the positive side to it. Just make sure they use two buckets!!

[MrMischief]

Sounds like your car park's a dangerous place to be, after the Mond & now this :Whistle: Normally we just need to watch out for cars being broken into, not walloped by other staff :hand:

Hope he's learned his lesson...if he hits any of the Mercs or BMW's next time, he'd better just keep driving :rolleyes:

Oh, who "coloured in" the O in your boss's front number plate???

[audrey]

Audi guy has just been (In a mini one). It needs a new wing, plastic trim, headlight and a respray. The guy who hit me was almost in tears when the Audi guy said, But that's all he can see, could mean there is more.
Kinda feel sorry for this guy now it was stupid what he did but hopefully learned a lesson gonna cost him a fortune :frown:

[Ferengo]

Sounds like your car park's a dangerous place to be, after the Mond & now this :Whistle: Normally we just need to watch out for cars being broken into, not walloped by other staff :hand:

Hope he's learned his lesson...if he hits any of the Mercs or BMW's next time, he'd better just keep driving :rolleyes:

Oh, who "coloured in" the O in your boss's front number plate???

Ha Ha. You heard about Mikes mondeo? Idiot tried to come round the corner like he always does (Too fast), hit some ice and kept going into the wall. I was off on holiday when it happened, so I never got to see it. You know the punishment for that (It was a company car)? He had to drive a corsa for a week then the boss gave him a merc as a replacement!!!

Dunno, I noticed that the other day too, but it near got stolen. They are having work done on their house (an extension) and when they were sleeping someone got in and stole computers, credit cards, passports and a lot of other stuff. They also got the keys to all of the cars but the yellow Merc was parked in front of them and the keys for that were else where. So they have had all the locks replaced, apparently it was £3000 for the Merc as it's got some special thing on it. They think someone got the house key copied as there was no forced entry.